Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Shaken--Also Stirred

It's really difficult to describe to someone who's lost what it truly means to be saved. In this country, the problem of the "once prayed always saved" mentality is pervading people young and old. The problem is that people treat Christianity like a title, or a license, and then live life no differently than anyone else.

I prayed a prayer when I was 8 or so and became a Christian. Honestly I don't remember a whole lot about that time in my life because I was 8. The thing is, after talking with Aaron, I'm not entirely sure I even was a Christian back then. I don't know, I mean maybe since I was so young, it was a fear of Hell that made me want to be saved.

Here's the problem: Until about 3 years ago I had slowly slid into a sinful lifestyle, and looking back, I noticed there was more of a "license" attitude toward my salvation.

Friends, I have to say, now more than ever there's a desire to serve the Lord and to show His glory to everyone around me. I have no idea how this happened unless a) this change comes about after a certain amount of time, much like growing a fruit tree, or b) I never really was a Christian.

This spooks me a little bit... Partly because if the second option is true, then I was dangerously close to being doomed to Hell until VERY RECENTLY. It's also spooky because... how many people are in that same predicament, thinking they're saved when it's really manufactured security?

Listen, if there's something I need to tell you, it's this: Make sure of your faith. If you consider yourself a Christian ask yourself, do you show the fruits of the spirit like kindness, charity, patience, perseverance, all the others? Most importantly: Does sin bother you? I can't stress this enough, friends... if you're living a lifestyle where you're not actively seeking to eradicate every foothold sin has in your life, you are probably not a Christian. Sin, to the true Christian, should be just as offensive as it is to God. There is no way for a Christian to be able to tolerate much sin, and it gets to a point where even "small" stuff will anger you. The Christian life is not passive, it's active. It's impossible to be sitting idle, not doing any of God's work, not serving others in some capacity, and be for real about this.

If you feel like you can't go there, don't look away. Take a close, careful look at yourself. By God's standards, are you a Christian or aren't you? What are your motives for living your current lifestyle? Are you living as if you are being watched by the Most Holy God, or are you living as if you've got fire insurance? If there's any doubt here, then please, please don't rest until you know for sure that you truly are one of God's children.